This 19th-Century Royal Brooch Can Be Yours for $2.65M
Original article written for JCK Online
A diamond brooch created in the early 19th century by the crown jewelers to the French court and worn to Queen Victoria’s wedding is the latest unique historical offering from New Orleans–based antique jeweler M.S. Rau.
“Old mine–cut diamonds were not only extremely rare in their day, but they’re almost never seen on the market today,” the owner of M.S. Rau, Bill Rau, tells JCK. “Crafted circa 1835 by the famous French jeweler Bapst, this brooch is a perfect mix of beauty and provenance. We were able to secure this stunning piece from a private source. It is well-documented, with royalty over generations wearing the brooch, which adds to the allure.”
The British Royal Diamond Bow Brooch, which M.S. Rau has priced at $2.65 million, features a total of 200 carats of diamonds. It was created by Maison Bapst, crown jewelers to the French court for decades, at the request of the fifth Duke of Newcastle, Henry Pelham-Clinton, for his wife, Lady Susan Hamilton, who wore it to the 1840 royal wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Passed down through generations, the brooch was also worn by the Duchess of Newcastle, Kathleen Florence May Pelham-Clinton (a well-known socialite, dog breeder, and conformation judge), to the Devonshire Ball in 1897.
